This invention relates to new and useful improvements in pre-fabricated structures and kits therefore, and is an improvement on my U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,286 and constitutes a continuation-in-part of my U.S. patent application Ser. No. 686,829 filed Dec. 27th, 1984.
The present inter-related structure erection/package assembly system allows for the pre-manufacturing or pre-fabrication of relatively large floor/roof structures and their transportation in relatively small sized, self-containing package with useable space therein for storing other prefabricated components or members of the structure such as perimetrical beams, vertical supports and the like.
The structures may be erected readily and easily from the package and of course can be easily expanded in the horizontal and vertical directions or dismantled and transported again in the self-containing component package of minimum size because the floor/roof and wall components may be nested and locked to each other in the package and in the structure they may be connected with the others from the inside thereof while the portions of these components may be connected in a package for transportation, from outside of the package.
The small sized component package is readily transportable anywhere and in any climate because it is self-contained and the nesting construction of the two halves or portions of each floor/roof component adds strength to the package. The structures are rapidly erected, expanded or dismantled, with a relatively small crew of unskilled labour regardless of the size and volume required.
In the present system, a square or rectangular floor/roof component of any size, with its shorter side being larger than the maximum load width transportable on highways, is split into two or more portions so that this side does not exceed the maximum load width permitted.
Each floor/roof or wall component package includes at least two portions of the structure, one placed in nesting relationship with the other, with the upper portion locking itself by natural gravitation into the lower portion and both creating a self-closing surface on the upper and lower sides enclosed by their roof or floor decks or panels.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a floor/ceiling package for prefabricated structures, said package including two halves, each half including a plurality of spaced and parallel, transverse joists, each including ends, and a planar panel spanning one side of said joists and acting as a floor or ceiling surface, means to detachably secure said halves together along a common junction line to form a floor or ceiling unit, said unit including corners, said junction line extending parallel to said joists, each half having a joist at the common junction line for selectively securing said halves together, vertical support members for each of said corners, a pair of perimetrical beam members situated, spaced and parallel to one another and supported upon pairs of vertical support members and being situated perpendicular to said joists, anchoring support struts extending along the underside of said perimetrical beam members, to support said floor or ceiling unit and means to facilitate engagement of said unit with said perimetrical beam members during assembly, said means including the ends of said joists inclining downwardly and inwardly from the underside of said planar panel towards the lower edges but terminating spaced above said lower edges, to define lower sides of said joists, the ends of said lower sides of said joists also inclining downwardly and inwardly inboard of said first mentioned inclination of said ends of said joists thereby defining horizontal steps therebetween, said first mentioned inclination of said ends of said joists engaging between the upper sides of said spaced and parallel perimetrical beam members and terminating with substantially zero clearance therebetween at the upper ends of said joists and the upper side of said perimetrical beam, when in the assembled position, said inclining lower ends of the lower sides of said joists engaging between the inner edges of said anchoring support struts and terminating with substantially zero clearance therebetween with said step engaging upon said anchoring support struts, when in the installed position.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a self-containing package system for prefabricated structures constituting a completed building structure when assembled and a package for storage and/or transportation, when disassembled, and including two similar floor/ceiling halves, at least four vertical support members and at least two perimetrical beam members, each said floor/ceiling halves including a plurality of spaced and parallel transverse joists and a planar panel spanning one side of said joists and acting as a floor or ceiling surface, said package including two said halves, means to detachably secure said halves together along a common junction line to form a completed floor or ceiling unit when assembled, said junction line extending parallel to said joists, each half having a joist at the common junction line for selectively securing said halves together, at least two of said vertical support members being L-shaped in cross-section and constituting L-shaped support members, a first of said perimetrical beam members extending between one of said L-shaped members and another of said support members, a further perimetrical beam member extending between the other of said L-shaped members and the other of said support members and spaced in parallel relationship with said first beam member, means to detachably secure said beam members to said support members, said unit being engageable upon said perimetrical beam members, means on said perimetrical beam members to support said unit and means to detachably secure said unit to said perimetrical beam members, said means to support said unit comprising anchoring support struts secured along the underside of said perimetrical beam members and extending inwardly therefrom and means to facilitate engagement of said unit with said perimetrical beam members during assembly, sad last mentioned means including the ends of said joists inclining downwardly and inwardly from the underside of said planar panel towards the lower edges thereof but terminating spaced above said lower edges to define lower sides, the ends of the lower sides of said joists also inclining downwardly and inwardly inboard of the first mentioned inclining of said ends of said joists, thereby defining a horizontal step therebetween, said first mentioned inclination of said ends of said joists engaging between the upper sides of said spaced and parallel perimetrical beam members and terminating with substantially zero clearance therebetween at the upper ends of said joists and the upper sides of said perimetrical beam members, when in the assembled position, said inclining lower ends of the lower sides of said joists engaging between the inner edges of said anchoring support struts and terminating with substantially zero clearance therebetween, with said step engaging upon said anchoring support struts when in the installed position.
It will also be appreciated that the packages can be stacked one upon the other and thus create a further self-containing unit by securing the bottom deck of each additional package to the top deck of the package below before enclosing the upper package by the upper portion of the floor/roof half or portion.
As the sizes and shapes of the components and connecting details of the self containing package and the expandable and relocable structure are identical, the structure erection and package assembly methods are interrelated and similar with respect to the involvement of labour, tools, screws and nails and the like.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide a high degree of flexibility in choosing type and shape of structures which are simple in construction and economical in manufacture and which regardless of its customized shape, size or building standard can easily be transported in standardized sized self containing packages at lowest possible costs.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the best mode known to the applicant and of the preferred typical embodiment of the